The present invention relates to paper towels and dispensers for paper towels, and more particularly to paper towel dispensers holding a roll of paper towels.
The subject invention relates generally to holders for rolled sheet products and, specifically, to holders for retaining and dispensing a paper towel roll.
Devices for supporting a conventional roll of paper towels are numerous. Paper towel dispensers are well known consumer products. Typically such dispensers are wall mounted and comprise a back panel and spaced apart arms extending outward from opposite ends of the back panel. The arms of different dispensers accommodate receipt of paper towels in roll form there between in a different ways. One commercial dispenser has arms that pivot outward to receive a towel roll, and then pivot inward to capture the roll with ends of the arms having lugs that fit into the core of the towel roll, providing pivot pins about which the roll can rotate. Another approach teaches the incorporation of spring biased lugs mounted into the ends of the dispenser arms. The lugs recess inwardly as the towel roll is inserted there against and, when the roll is at its final position, the lugs eject outward and into the roll core. The roll can then rotate about the lugs as individual sheets of paper are withdrawn.
With existing paper towel dispensers, the problem exists that, with the paper towel in the dispenser, as the roll gets used, and the diameter of the roll reduces, it no longer pushes against the holder rail with sufficient pressure, and the end of the roll comes loose.
The following represents a list of known related art:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,376 issued to Compton, Dec. 11, 1984;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,750 issued to Hunt, May 29, 1994;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,304 issued to Ahern, Feb. 25, 1997;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,676 issued to Bardsley, Jun. 21, 1977;
U.S. Design Pat. No. 161,985 issued to Woodworth, Feb. 13, 1951;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,007 issued to Cunningham, Mar. 5, 1977;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,376 issued to Compton, Dec. 11, 1984;
U.S. Design Pat. No. 326,580 issued to Brazis, Jun. 2, 1992;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,003 issued to Tharp, Sep. 22, 1992;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,750 issued to Kelly, Mar. 17, 1998;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,986 issued to Putz, May 17, 1994;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,083 issued to Ridenour, Mar. 8, 1994;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,976 issued to Duck, Mar. 9, 1999;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,961 issued to Duck, Sep. 14, 1999;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,486 issued to Ancona et al., May 3, 1988;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,162 issued to Hidle, Jul. 15, 1986;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,948 issued to Gillen, Aug. 20, 1985;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,947 issued to Hidle, Aug. 20, 1985;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,057 issued to Whatley, Apr. 23, 1974;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,676 issued to Bardsley, Jun. 21, 1977; and
U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,249 issued to MacLelland, Dec. 15, 1959.
The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
A paper towel holder is provided that comprises a flattened base, a support rod connectable to said base and insertable through the core of a conventional paper towel role, and a pressure member connectable to said base at any one of a plurality of pressure member insertion holes in said base, wherein the pressure member is for making contact with said paper towel roll and impeding the loose unrolling of the paper towels on said roll. Paper towel holder can be used freely located on a horizontal countertop, or alternatively can be wall mounted. Base can optionally be provided with gripping legs, preferably formed of silicone material, attachable to the undersurface of base to help prevent slipping on a counter surface. The base and the support rod are separable for packing and storage for efficient and economical packaging for sale and/or storage when disassembled.
A paper towel holder according to the invention disclosed herein has numerous advantages. Advantage obtains from being able to keep the loose paper towel end of a conventional paper towel roll from flapping freely on a holder. Advantage obtains from having an easily assembled and disassembled paper towel holder for ease of sale and/or storage. Advantage obtains from having a paper towel holder that can be mounted on the wall or left free standing on a horizontal countertop.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Further benefits and advantages of the embodiments of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the present invention.